The present invention refers to a packaging combination comprised of multiple different parts that are easily joined together, wherein at least one of said parts acts as an exchangeable refill for the product carried inside the packaging.
Nowadays, manufacturers of cosmetic and hygiene products are concerned with commercializing their products in packaging that is attractive, resistant and at the same time practical, in order to give added value to their products and to make them stand out from competition and ultimately to increase sales.
However, in general terms more attractive and more resistant packaging tends to be considerably more costly, which ultimately weighs on the end price of the traded product. Additionally, such packaging normally consumes a higher quantity of non-biodegradable materials, which are significantly harmful to the environment when disposed.
In order to overcome these problems, it is a common practice to use packaging comprised of various different parts that can be joined together, of which at least one acts as an exchangeable refill wherein the product is effectively stored, whereas other packaging components can be reused. Accordingly, when the entire quantity of the product contained within the packaging is consumed, the user can acquire a product refill that is then connected to the other re-usable parts of the packaging.
This practice enables a cost reduction for the commercialized product, since it is carried in a simpler and thus less costly packaging. Therefore, the complete packaging combination, comprising the refill and the re-usable components, is only acquired once, thus avoiding wastage of certain parts.
This procedure also allows re-usable packaging components to be of a higher quality, more resistant and more attractive and, therefore, more expensive than packaging that is entirely disposable, since the costs relating to the re-usable components of the packaging combination need only be afforded a few times.
Additionally, the reduction in the quantity of disposable parts of the packaging contributes to reducing the wasted material when the packaging is disposed of and, consequently, to promoting environmental conservation, which is a fundamentally important aspect for modern industry.
Another important aspect concerning hygiene and beauty products is that some such products may have a rather viscous and dense consistency and, therefore, flow slowly inside the packaging, such as paste-base products, cosmetic creams or moisturizers, shampoos and hair conditioners. In this regard, it is desirable for these products to be stored in packaging that can remain head downwards so that the contents may be extracted with greater ease and speed from inside the packaging when being used.
In order to accommodate and commercialize products, certain packagings comprised of various parts that can be joined together are already known in the state of the art. One such part is a refill component for the product, which can be disposable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,998 discloses a container comprising an inner container that is housed within an outer container. The two parts fit together by passing the flask through the mouth of the container in such a way that the flask is supported on the upper rim of the container. This packaging also has a sealing lid, which is frictionally encased into the mouth of the inner flask, and an additional lid for the whole packaging combination, which is fixed directly onto the outer container.
One of the disadvantages is that if this packaging is turned sideways or head downwards, the product will be spilled, because the connection of the inner flask to the sealing lid and to the outer container is not sufficiently seal-tight to avoid product leakage. Thus, the flask would detach from the container and the sealing lid would come off the flask, causing product spillage. Additionally, the sealing lid used in this packaging is not sufficiently resistant or seal-tight to enable the product simply to be commercialized inside the inner flask topped by the sealing lid.
EP 0661012 refers to a case for cream comprising an outer container that can be closed by a lid and by an exchangeable insert that is housed within the case and where the preparation is stored. The outer case and inner container are connected to one another by catch elements engaging one another in a clippable manner, when the container is inserted through the mouth of the case to be housed therein, in such a manner that the container rests on the upper rim of the outer container. The outer case also has a flexible base to support the bottom of the container.
The disadvantage of this packaging again is that it is incapable of preventing product spillage if turned head downwards. Additionally, the lid used in this packaging is fixed only to the outer container. There are no suggestions for directly sealing the inner container that would enable it to be commercialized separately from the outer container.
The packaging disclosed in document MU 7201057-6 comprises a lid, a refill cup, and a body connected to one another. In its upper section, the refill cup has a fitting that perfectly adapts to the existing fitting in the upper section of the body, in such a way that these two parts are connected and locked by joining their locks and counterlocks.
The disadvantage of this packaging is that it has no specific sealing for the refill cup that would enable it to be commercialized separately from the other packaging components.
Additionally, since the refill cup is inserted through the body mouth, which has a smaller diameter than the diameter of the rest of the body, the cup has to have a smaller diameter than the opening of the body mouth so it can pass through the fitting. Therefore, the internal volume of the body corresponding to the difference between its diameter and the diameter of the cup is not occupied by the cup and is ultimately empty. Hence, the internal volume of the body is not utilized to house the product in an optimal manner.
It is therefore notable that none of these documents suggest packagings having refills that can be commercialized separately from the re-usable parts, because the refills are not sealed to guarantee their seal-tightness.
Nor do the documents of the state of the art provide packagings that can be turned head downwards and remain thus for a long period of time while preventing product leakage.
Another disadvantage of the packagings of the state of the art is that the inner space of the outer container that accommodates the refill is not wholly utilized for product storage, since the size of the refill must necessarily be smaller than the outer container so that it can pass through the container's mouth and be fitted inside.